After Kisses
by Lemonadey
Summary: Moments after 6x22 kiss.


**A/N : So this is based off a request i received on my tumblr. I thought i'd post it here too. Hope you enjoy ? 💜💜💜**

They were enthralled in a passionate makeout. Finally together again. Her arms wrapped around his neck while his firmly embraced her waist pulling her body flush against his, closing any distance between them. He wanted this. He needed this.

But he needed her to be sure. He needed to know this was it. This wasn't a slip on her part. A 'momentary moment of weakness' as she would say. Reluctuantly and with great pain. He slowly pulled away. Forehead still resting against hers. Eyes closed in pleading. Wishing this was real. That he could hold onto this. But he needed to know she wanted it. That that was not a goodbye kiss. That she choose him.

Caroline opened her eyes as her forehead rest against his. His eyes were closed, brow furrowed in concentration. His typical brooding look. She knew what he was going to ask before he even said aloud his thoughts and it brought a small smile to her face. He respected her choice, and as much as it was killing him, he was letting her make it. Making sure she choose what she wanted.

After three years of hiding, pretending. Lying down and letting life past her Caroline forced herself to accept it. Accept this. She loved Stefan. She's always loved him. Even when he broke her heart, She loved him. She couldn't pretend anymore with Alaric. He had been there for her these past three years, and he gave her a gift she would otherwise never have. Two little girls she loved with all her heart. And that brought a smile to her face. They would always be a family, and that was enough for her. She didn't need to marry Ric to be a mom to the girls.

She couldn't marry him and cage herself in to a fake reality. As much as she wanted to she couldn't love him the right way. The way a wife should. Marrying him would be deluding herself further into her false life.

Sure, she would be numb to the pain she's forced herself to stay away from. The pain love brings. She wouldn't need to put her heart on the line. But she couldn't play it safe. She didn't want that anymore. She wanted to feel love again. She wanted Stefan. And it was a risk. Stefan had the power to break her heart in a fleeting second, and he had done. But he also made her happier than she's ever been.

Once she felt this love for him she couldn't go back. It's why she avoided him. Why she never read the letters. She knew once she let him in she would need to accept that she never moved on. She couldn't. She would always love him.

"I'm sure" she whispered, lips a breath away from his.

His eyes snapped open to meet ocean blue as a grin spread across his cheeks. Without another thought he enfused his lips to her. Devouring her right there.

After three years of running. Three years of misery. Three years of hell. He was home. He was finally home now that he had Caroline back in his arms, and he wasn't letting her go again. Not for anything.

* * *

Truth is he's dealt with heartbreak before. He's gone through the pain, and he made it out the other side. Eventually he got over it. With Elena. With Katherine. With Valerie. He could always pick himself back up and move on with his life. But loosing Caroline took the world from under him. He didn't just loose his girlfriend, he lost his best friend. His ray of sunshine. His something better than true love.

He literally felt his life shattering, and as much as he tried to crawl back up. Pick up the pieces of his life, he couldn't. She was his life. He accepted he lost her. And once he accepted that, he accepted that he lost his hapiness. He was numb to all life had to offer, never really living. Drifting through, just waiting for it to all end.

Kissing her was like finding an oasis after spending months in the dessert without water. He never thought he would ever be able to feel this again. Now that he had her back he would never let her go again. He wouldn't be able to survive that depression again.

* * *

"This doesn't mean i'm not still mad at you" she mumbled between kisses.

"I know"

"And I expect like a really, really big present" he nodded entusiatically.

"Anything you want"

"And flowers-"

"-Daisies are in the car" he interrupted to which she raised an eyebrow, ducking her head away from him quzzically.

"Not- not that i was expecting this, or that you, you would,umm.." he shook his head, stuttering as he struggled to get his words out. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

".. I just saw them and I thought of you...I wanted to have something of you with me" he held a sincere look in eyes.

Without another thought she flung herself forward connecting her lips to his.

* * *

He moaned into her mouth. He missed this. God, he missed her. He was empty without her. Drifting through life. Never really living. He fell into a black hole of despair without her.

But as her tounge delved into his mouth, he felt her. The light filling his soul. Pulling him home to her. He was happy. Pure and simple.

His arms wrapped tighten around her waist. He needed reaffirming she was there. She was safe. With him.

As she felt his arms tighten around her waist, almost painfully she tugged on the hairs on the back of his neck, threading her fingers through his brunette locks.

The erotic motion, stirred arrousal within him. Desire and lust fuelled his motions as his arms loosened from around her waist and shifted in position flitering down cupping her ass.

Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Her back arched into his touch as she felt the arousal burning within his tight jeans. It had been a painfully long time and the lust filled moans she was emitted were being swallowed by his mouth still connected to hers, fuelled the fire within her.

He moved his kisses across to her cheek, then traced the outline of her jaw, finally nuzzling on her neck. His breaths were coming out in pants. He was literally breathless, but he couldn't stop. Pure desire and need coloured his mind.

Regretfully, she gently pushed on his chest to draw his attention.

"May be we should slow it down a bit" she breathlessly whispered.

"Yeah. Sorry.." he mumbled ashamed at his actions. She deserved better than this. Her legs unhooked from his waist as he gently placed her down on the floor.

".. i just... I really missed you" his eyes still full of want and need, but lustful thoughts forced on the back-burner. She delicately grabbed hold of his hand in hers.

His mind flashed back to years of memories of moments similar. Their silent, wordless communication of 'you have me'. No matter how hard it gets, they will always be there for eachother. Even if they aren't quite fully there yet, they're working on it. They're at the starting block, from the beginning again. And that was all he could ask for.

"Hey... I missed you too..." She gave him a small encouraging smile. It warmed his heart.

".. i just think we still have a lot to talk about" and that definitely wasn't talking she thought to herself. No matter how god it felt they needed to do this right.

"You're right" he took a deep breath to calm himself (and his little friend) down. Smile still creeping up on his lips to the fact that they had something to work on. That they can get back to where they were. He would stop at nothing to get them to that point no matter how many lonely nights he had to wait till then. He wouldn't rush her. He would wait.

* * *

His hand moved up to cradle her jaw. His thumb stroked the soft skin. Gazing into piercing blue eyes, he knew this was all he wanted for the rest of his life. For all eternity he only wanted Caroline Forbes.

"I love you".

Her breath caught at that. She gazed into emerald green mouth open. Poised to say the words. But at the last moment she looked down taking a deep breathe, before her eyes flicked back up to meet his. She nodded her head gentle, small smile once again gracing her lips.

"I know".

She couldn't say it just yet. She'd already taken a big step to forgiving him today. She wasn't ready to just jump right in and put everything out there again. He had hurt her. She couldn't just leave her fragile heart that open after only a day.

Although she was fooling no one because she did love him. Of course she did. She just wasn't ready to admit it out loud. They still had so much to work through.

Did it hurt that she couldn't say it back? Of course it did. But he had hurt her. This was just another wall she built around herself since he broke her heart. Another wall he would need to break down. And he was determined to do that. They could work through anything together, and he wanted to do that. No he needed do it.

"One step at a time ok?" She whispered gently. Vunerable tone.

"Of course" he nodded reassuringly. Flicker of a smile graced his lips.

* * *

His gaze remained fixed on her. He couldn't take his eyes off her. Having her in front of him after such a long time felt like a dream. A dream he did not want to wake up from.

Her brows suddenly scrunched together as a sudden thought entering her head. As her eyes searched around them.

"Hey, where's Damon?"

He scoffed at that. "Way to kill the mood"

"I'm serious. He should be out by now"

He breathed an audible sigh.

"Fine. Let's go find the cockroach". She chuckled at that before they both walked into the armory in search of a forever changed Damon.


End file.
